Coastal Ecology Intern

Who We Are:

Founded in 1891 by a group of visionary volunteers, The Trustees of Reservations (The Trustees) is the Massachusetts' premier conservation and preservation organization. The Trustees’ preserves, for public use and enjoyment, properties of exceptional scenic, historic, and ecological value in Massachusetts. Our properties are open to all, and we thrive by involving as many people as possible in all that we do. We aim to protect special places for future generations to enjoy in perpetuity, and have helped protect more than 50,000 acres, including 27,000+ acres on more than 120 reservations that are open to the public. As a non-profit conservation organization, we are funded and supported entirely by our visitors, supporters, volunteers, and our 100,000 Member households. We encourage you to learn more about The Trustees on our website, www.thetrustees.org.

Posting Information:

Salary/Hourly Rate: $16.50

Hours: 30 hours per week

Job Classification: Internship, Seasonal

Job Type: Onsite

Duration: June 2, 2025-August 22

Location: Ipswich, MA

What You’ll Do:

Your Impact: Looking to gain meaningful experience in coastal ecology while experiencing the beauty of the Great Salt Marsh? As a Coastal Ecology intern, you’ll make a meaningful contribution to our efforts to monitor and collect critical data around large-scale salt marsh restoration on the North Shore of Massachusetts.

The Role: As the Coastal Ecology Intern you’ll spend the summer assisting with monitoring, research, and management activities associated with large-scale salt marsh restoration in the Great Marsh–the largest salt marsh ecosystem in New England–on the North Shore of Massachusetts.  You’ll work with and support seasonal and permanent staff in the collecting of biological and physical data used to assess restoration goals. 

Beginning in late May or early June and working through August, you’ll spend 30 hours per week learning about and participating in nature-based salt marsh restoration techniques and exploring the climate change-driven challenges stewardship managers face in coastal areas.  

Specifically, you’ll:

• Conduct bird surveys to document habitat quality and use on more than 300 acres of salt marsh including: 
• Surveys of breeding birds with a focus on saltmarsh sparrows following established monitoring protocols (i.e., SHARP) 
• Monitoring tern foraging activity  
• Monitoring non-breeding bird use within salt marsh restoration areas and coordinate volunteer participation as time allows 
• Documenting habitat characteristics for saltmarsh sparrow nest sites 
• Collect data for breeding mosquitoes on 90 acres of salt marsh  
• Collect data on salt marsh restoration projects including ditch remediation, runnels, nesting islands and marsh pools 

The Seasonal Coastal intern reports directly to our Lead Coastal Ecologist.

What You’ll Need:

Skills and Experience:

• Coursework in wildlife biology, ecology, zoology, environmental science, or related field 
• Strong verbal and written communication skills
• The ability to work alone in the field or remotely as well as with volunteers and the public on occasion
• Experience conducting marsh-nesting bird surveys (preferred)
• Experience with biological data collection and management (preferred)
• Experience with GPS navigation (preferred)
• Experience working with volunteers and/or citizen science programs (preferred)

Eligibility Criteria:

• Ability to work outdoors daily, and at times, under rigorous conditions 
• Ability to perform physically strenuous duties, such as hiking up to several miles throughout a day
• Ability to lift/carry up to 30 pounds
• Ability to occasionally work some weekends, holidays, and irregular hours (depending upon wildlife, weather, tides and contractor availability)
• A valid driver’s license and transportation to sites
• Current authorization to work in the United States – a candidate must have such authorization by his or her first day of employment.
• A satisfactory criminal background (CORI) check.

Don’t quite have all the skills and experience listed above? We still want to hear from you! Research shows that historically marginalized groups are less likely to apply if they do not meet every single requirement. We are committed to building a diverse team and encourage you to apply even if you are missing some of the skills and experience above.

Questions? Contact our People team at people@thetrustees.org

Your Benefits:

• Sick time
• Employee Assistance Program: Free access to a confidential service that helps employees and their communities with personal and work-related issues, such as mental health support, counseling, and financial advice.
• Reciprocity: Employees have access to free and discounted admission and membership to more than 50 nearby museums and cultural institutions.
• Discounts: Enjoy free entry to all Trustees properties, discount event tickets, and discounted merchandise at our stores and on stays at our inns. 

Equal Opportunity and Diversity:

The Trustees is a proud equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate against any protected status including, but not limited to, age, race, ethnicity, sex, gender, sexual preferences, nation of origin, religion, or disability status and strongly encourages applications from people of color, persons with varying abilities, women, and LGBTQ+ applicants. We aspire to reflect and effectively serve the residents and communities of Massachusetts, who are at the core of our mission.

The Trustees’ commitment to advancing the organization’s vision for this work may be found here: Diversity, Belonging, Inclusion and Equity.

It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

We are committed to creating an inclusive and accessible work environment. To request reasonable accommodations during the application or interview process, please contact us at people@thetrustees.org.